In Memoriam Paul J Rosch, MD 1927-2020
Dr. Paul J. Rosch, born June 30, 1927, passed away on Wednesday 26 February 2020 after complications from a fall. He was 93 years old. Dr. Rosch was Chairman of the Board of The American Institute of Stress, Clinical Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at New York Medical College, and Honorary Vice President of the International Stress Management Association. He completed his internship and residency training at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and subsequently at the Walter Reed Army Hospital and Institute of Research, where he was Director of the Endocrine Section. He had a Fellowship at the Institute of Experimental Medicine and Surgery at the University of Montreal with Dr. Hans Selye, who coined the term “stress” as it is currently used, and has co-authored works with Dr. Selye as well as Dr. Flanders Dunbar, who introduced “psychosomatic” into American medicine.
Dr. Rosch was elected President of The American Institute of Stress in 1978 and served in that capacity until 2013 when he became Chairman of the Board. He was also the 1998-99 President of The Pavlovian Society, an organization of distinguished international scientists devoted to integrating basic and clinical research. and has been the recipient of many honors, including the Outstanding Physician’s Award of the New York State Medical Society, Man of the Year Award with a Congressional Citation, the Schering Award, the International Distinguished Service Award of the American Rural Health Association and the annual Innovation Award of The International Society for the Study of Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine. In 1985, he received an award from Dr. Michael E. DeBakey, President of the American Society for Contemporary Medicine and Surgery for “contributions to our understanding of stress, health, and disease”. The I.M. Sechenov Memorial Medal was bestowed on him in by The Russian Academy of Medical Sciences for facilitating communication between stress researchers at his annual International Congress on Stress in Switzerland and he was one of the few foreigners elected to full Fellowship in this prestigious organization.
Dr. Rosch served as President of the New York State Society of Internal Medicine, Chairman of the International Foundation for Biopsychosocial Development and Human Health, Expert Consultant on Stress to the United States Center for Disease Control, President, Westchester Diabetes Association President, Yonkers Academy of Medicine and as Police and Fire Department Surgeon. He was a member of the Board of Governors of Northwood University, The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, Scientific Advisory Council of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Foundation, and Clinical Professor of Medicine in Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and served on the International Advisory Committee, School of Psychology and Social Science, Universidad de Flores in Buenos Aires. He was a Fellow and Life Member of the American College of Physicians, Diplomate of the National Board of Medical Examiners, Emeritus Member of The Endocrine Society, Emeritus Member of The Bioelectromagnetics Society, Fellow of the Council of Epidemiology of the American Heart Association, Fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Sciences, and Fellow of The Royal Society of Medicine. He was editor-in-chief of Stress Medicine, published by John Wiley in the U.K. and was on the editorial board of several relevant journals. Dr. Rosch was also Senior Consultant in Internal Medicine and Honorary Emeritus Physician at St. John’s Riverside Hospital in Yonkers, New York, and has a Workers Compensation Subspecialty Rating in Cardiology, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases.
Dr. Rosch is pre-deceased by his loving wife, Marguerite A. Rosch, his former wife, Lorraine H. Rosch, and his son, David Carl Rosch. He is survived by his sons Jonathan (Judy), Michael (Aya) and Richard (Anne), his daughters Jane Rosch Newton (Richard) and Donna Rosch Telyczka, and six lovely granddaughters. Visiting hours will be held on Sunday, March 1st from 2 pm to 8 pm at Whalen & Ball Funeral Home, 168 Park Avenue, Yonkers, NY. Funeral Services will be held on Monday, March 2nd at 10 am at Whalen & Ball, followed by entombment at Mount Hope Cemetery, 50 Jackson Avenue, Hastings-on-Hudson NY. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name at the charity of your choice.
